Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-10-21
THE SHAFTS REVENUE.
How the Funds for the support of Per-
sia's Government Are Obtained.

| nothing to bankers or bondholders
either at home or abroad. She has nc
debt and the Shah covers snug sum
annually into the treasury as reserve
1t has been sreeringly said by the Rus
slams, who wish to belittle in order to
weaken her, that Persia has no national
| debt because she has no credit. The
truth of this assertion can only be prov
ed when the Shah attempts to raise a
loan, which has never yet been done
by the Persian Government. OF course,
if more were spent for internal i'm
provement of if there were less specu-
lation, there might be less reserve or a
larger revenue. But the fact remains
that while something is done to pro-
mote material progress. something is
still annually saved.
The revenues of The Shah come from
many sources. The land, live stock,
customs, excise and mines and fisher
les furnish the chief sources of revenue.
The collection of some of the taxes is
attended with considerable risk, and
results in not unfrequent riots and
bloodshed.
Regarding some of his revenues the
Shah very wisely continues to follow a
method common in Europe in former
ages, that is, farming. BY farming the
pearl fisheries, for example, the Shah
may receive less than if the tax on them
could be justly collected and turned
over to his Government But as that
Is practically impossible, the Shah
makes sure of a given sum on which he
can depend, and leaves it to the agent
who farms them to make his profit
from whatever surplus may accrue.
But while the Shah is advantaged by
tic system of farming, the people are
much more heavily oppressed, as they
are in the hands of the officer who
farms that revenue. Nominally he may
keep to the letter of the law in collect
ing only such ratio on the products as
the law prescribes. But in reality great
abuses grow out of the greed of the
farmer.
The turquoise mines are f;trmed.
They are less productive than formerly,
while the manufacture of excellent
spurious turquoiscs in Europe ha
tended somewhat to lower the demand
for the genuine article. The difficulty
of getting the stone is also excessive,
as the mines are growing deeper all the
time and the shafts are very danger
GUS Many are killed in the Persian
turquoise mines, which are found in
the province of Herman in the South,
but the best ones are mined in Khoras-
san in the North.
The fisheries of Persia are farmed.
They are chiefly in the Caspian Sea
and in the mouth of the rivers empty
ing into it, and consist chiefly of sal
mon and sturgeon. The lockwood in
the forests adjoining the sea is also
farmed. This has been Il considerable
article of commerce, but the supply is
now falling off.
The customs are farmed and form
very important source of revenue not
outstanding that by the treaty of
Turkomantchai with Russia, all goods
entered from nations enjoying its priv
ileges under the "most favored ma
ton clause pay maximum duty of
five per centum. Turkey has an en-
tirely different treaty with Persia which
allows the two countries to claim a ten
per cent. duty. Abuses doubtless ex-
list in the collection of customs, espe-
cially in the matter of peculation.
But the wonder to me is that under ex-
listing circumstances the abuses are
not greater. Land tax also forms
most important source of revenue.
The nomads of Persia, who number
nearly "a million, are taxed by month
ly levy on their flocks, which is mod
crate and collected with regularity.
This tax or part of it is farmed. Cen
orally it is raised without difficulty ex-
cept among the warlike tribes of the
Southwest Among them the tax gath
ercr only ventures attended by strong
guard of soldiers.
The Shah adds still further and very
to his revenues by the pres
ents he receives in coin from the high
dignitarics he visits from time to time,
and from the sale of important offices
to the highest bidder. Not that he
awards an office to any one w,o over
bids Others, but to the one who, of sew
eral having ability, adds to talents for
the post the largest pecuniary consid-
Grafton. What these sums are can be
only surmised from general report; but
that large amounts annually 90 into
the Golfers of the Shah in this way is
fact well assured; indeed it is prac-
tice that has existed in Persia for ages.
S. G. w. Benjamin, IN PAiladelphia
Press.
P0ctnn ard na4u-;I